The New Girl
by KaityKate922
Summary: Annie has another sister named Tori.  When disaster strikes and Annie suggests her for recruitment by the CIA, they jump at the chance to have another Walker.  This is her story.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

I paced my apartment: sick with worry. Tori had promised that she would call me today at around five. A glance at the clock told me that it was nearing eight. I paced around the tiny front room for a few more minutes when I hear a ring emanating from my clenched fist.

"Tori," I answer, suppressing a sigh of relief.

"Annie?" I hear a timid voice respond from the other end of the line. Something was very, very wrong. I knew my spunky-temperamental sister would never speak like this under normal circumstances. Instantly, I had myself worried that dad had been harassing them. I had known that I should have never left her with mom in Washington when I last visited.

"Tori, what's wrong?" I inquire quickly.

"Do you remember when you told me that I could come stay with you whenever I needed it?" she tested.

"Of course, that offer still stands if you need it."

"How fast can you get to Seattle?" she asked.

"I can be on the next plane, and land by morning." I reassured.

"I need you," she whimpered from the other side of the line.

"I'll be there as soon as I can Tee, pack your bags," I told her quickly before ending the call and sprinting to my car, only stopping to grab my purse and lock the door.


	2. Leesson 1: Running Away

**Hi. SO to most of you, I am probably a new author. I never wrote a story for Covert affairs, but to be hones, I have kind of grown out of my "Twilight Phase." I will continue to wite my sequel to NC, but I feel that the characters have kind of branched off into a new story with it's own characters. **

**Anyways if you are interested in betaing, get ahold of me, because I need someone to check over everything (so I feel better.) Add a few senances here and there to give it more substance, (because I tend to write 1,500 - 3,000 word chapters.) and because I need someone to bounce ideas off of, (because there is one of two ways that this story will go,a nd I am still indecisive.)**

**So, that's all. Read and Review! Enjoy. **

**P.S. If you are familiar with my other stories, you know that I give previews to anyone who reviews. That stands with this one. If you review, I will PM you a preview. But if you want to leave anonymous reviews, I suggest that you include an email address if you want the preview, because if you have no account, I cannot PM you the preview.**

**~BroadwayGlory**

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><p><strong>Lesson 1: Running Away Isn't Always a Bad Thing<strong>

Tori's POV

I lay in bed shaking after what had happened. I couldn't bring myself to move, for I was paralyzed in fear that he would come back. I had to force myself to breathe, and I had to force myself to move my hand to pick up the phone. I knew that Annie was expecting a call from me, and that she would probably be pacing her apartment in D.C. with worry.

I thought back on the memories I had of when I was younger. Annie and Danielle had practically raised me. I was just young when the whole "dad" thing had happened. Long story short, through all of the court hearings, and problems, Annie and Danielle—just teenagers at that time—had taken up the responsibility of bringing me up. I had been lost by my parents in the troubles then, but my two sisters hadn't forgotten me. I thought of Annie as more of a mom than my own mother.

When she left for D.C. she had told me that I could come and stay with Danielle or her any time I needed it. Thoughts of my childhood and tonight's horrifying turn spun a web through my head—in many different languages I might point out—as I picked up the phone and pressed number one on my speed dial.

I heard her pick up on the second ring. "Tori," Annie answered. I could hear the relief in her voice.

"Annie?" I asked, sounding more vulnerable than I would have liked.

"Tori, what's wrong?" she asked in an authoritative voice.

"Do you remember when you told me that I could stay with you whenever I needed it? I tested. I could almost hear her nod through the phone.

"Of course, that offer still stands if you need it," She reassured.

"How fast can you get to Seattle?" I asked.

"I can be on the next plane and be there by morning." She told me.

"I need you," I sobbed into the phone.

"I'll be there as soon as I can Tee. Pack your bags," she told me quickly before hanging up. I let the phone drop out of my hand right as sobs began to wrack my body. I held myself, while I let myself cry. Soon enough, there were no more tears to cry and I began packing, determined to get away from this place.

When the sobs had stopped, and my face had recovered from its red-puffy state, I ran down the stairs to meet my mom. Her golden blonde hair was splayed out behind her on the cushions on the couch. Her pale hands turned pages as she read her book. Her head turned towards me as she heard me behind her.

"Hi Tori," she greeted, a smile beginning to grace her face.

"Mom, I need to tell you something," I told her quickly.

"What is it?" she asked, placing a bookmark between pages and shutting it.

"I think I need to go and stay with Annie for a while," I blurted out quickly. Her face paled, and her features became paler.

"You don't have to do that Tori," she told me in an angry voice.

"I'm sorry, she's already on her way." I stated.

"And you didn't think to ask me first," she inquired, her cheeks flushing with angry color.

"When do you listen to me anymore mom?" I asked. "You're either arguing with my dad over me, or you're out with John. I'm tired of being stuck in the middle of crossfire, and a 'kindling romance' I need someone who will take care of me, and pay attention to me. That's not you or dad, so I asked Annie if I could stay with her for a while."

"Annie doesn't know the first thing about raising a child," she stressed.

"Apparently she knows enough, because I didn't turn out too bad," I threw at her.

"Annie didn't raise you, I did!" she finally began yelling.

"Really, because I seem to remember the days we would go without seeing either you or dad. Annie and Danielle made sure I had what I needed, they taught me my ABCs, they taught me how to count, they did everything a parent is supposed to do!" I shot back.

Dead silence followed. I knew that I had to spare her the real truth, but I didn't want to start a fight with my mother right before I left. She just nodded solemnly, looking at me apologetically. "You're right," she finally said. "I wasn't there to be a mom to you when I should have, and things aren't that great here right now. Maybe you should go away for a while." I pulled her into my arms and gave her a big hug before dashing up the stairs to complete my packing.

I arrived at the terminal just as the PA announced that the flight had arrived. Annie's text had told me that this was the right place. A crowd started flooding off of the plane, and I spotted my tall, blonde sister. She was carrying only a purse and two tickets back to the airport in Washington D.C.

I stood and waved my arm, effectively catching her eye. She walked over to me and pulled me into a hug, saying, "I knew I shouldn't have left you in Seattle alone. What happened this time? Did dad threaten you again, or-"

"Nothing like that j-just come with me." I lead her to my car and shut the door behind me. She followed and did the same.

"What's this all about Tee, and no bullshitting me here, I know when you are lying to me," she informed me firmly. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"You remember Sam, right?" I asked her. She nodded and I continued. "Last year, his father died. After the funeral, I drove him home and took him up to his room—he didn't want to be alone. That was the first time I ever saw 'the look' in his eyes. He would go all intense one minute, and was fine the next. Whenever he got that look, I just knew that he was going to hit me. I had been keeping it quiet, because it wasn't often that he got that way, and I knew that he didn't mean to hurt me—he wouldn't even remember what he did. Last night I went home from his house, we got into a huge fight over what was happening. He showed up in my room a few hours later and he-he," I broke off sobbing.

"Did he force himself on you?" she asked gently. I nodded, still sobbing. She rubbed my back gently, and I flinched at her touch. She just kept on rubbing my back, and muttering soothing words to me. I finally controlled myself enough to look at her. Her face was filled with rage as she helped me out of my car and to the plane we would be boarding. I didn't even see the strange looks I got from people.

I was awoken by the jolt of our plane landing on the tarmac. I looked over at Annie to see that she was staring out of her window, looking as if she were pondering something. The whole airport was a blur as we passed through, getting my things before putting them into a sharp little convertible.

As soon as we got in, she turned to face me. "Okay, Tori. I will be completely honest with you now, as long as you are completely honest with me in return." I nodded for her to continue. "I never really told you what I do, did I?" she inquired. I shook my head, only knowing that Annie's job took her all over the world. "Okay, here it goes. I am an Agent for the CIA. I work all over to catch criminals and keep operations running smoothly. There is a camp, called the farm that I could take you to. They will teach you what you need to know, and then you will join me. I want you to be completely honest with me when I ask you if you want me to take you there."

I sat there in silence, half in disbelief, and half in shock. That was when I really began to think about it. The CIA would teach me everything I needed to know about how to defend myself, and I sure as hell wasn't going to let myself be screwed over again. I nodded to her, not trusting my voice to convey the yes that I was going to give her.

"You have to be sure, Tori. Once you get into this, it's hard to get out, and stay out. And besides, it will be a long shot for them to take you in. You are only eighteen and fresh out of high school, you know." I nodded again, only half paying attention. I hear a sigh, but I am too distracted to care. I can't help but replay the flashbacks over and over in my head. The pain, the betrayal, his face hovering over mine, too close for comfort: It is all set on a constant loop through my subconscious.

I watch as the scenery flies by. The green mountains of the Appalachians, and the different cars all fly by in a blur until we stop and my vision becomes clear once again, and my mind snaps from Sam. Annie turns to face me. "Tori, you have to keep your mind off of this. You don't need to be haunted by this for the rest of your life," I look at her, wondering how she knew I was thinking about it. Then I feel a drop of liquid skim the surface of my cheek. I had been crying.

I nod silently at her again, and the trip continues silently for about thirty minutes until we begin to hit D.C. limits. We stop in front of an apartment building just inside the capitol and she lets herself right in. I follow her up three flights of stairs and begin questioning what is going on. "Annie?" I ask, perplexed.

"Huh?" she stops to fiddle with her keys for a second before opening the door in front of her with one of them.

"I thought you were taking me to the farm," I explain, following her inside.

"I can't take you there like this Tee," she tells me. "So, I am going to take you to work and see if I can't pull a few strings to get you into personal training with someone. It will be faster, and it will probably take your mind off of your. . . situation." I nod, stifling a yawn. "Why don't you go and lie down. I'm going to call Augie, and see what he can do. She points to the second door on the right, and goes off to the kitchen to make her call.

I find that the room is soft and comfortable, and I won't scold her for giving me her bed until after I get some sleep.

I woke up gasping, and whimpering. Sweat soaked my t-shirt, and my bangs. I pushed them out of my face stiffly with my hand before laying back down, hoping to catch my breath. I could hear out the door and into the tiny kitchen where Annie must have finally reached Augie.

_"Augie, hi." _She greeted in a tired voice.

Annie's POV

_"Hello?"_ answered a voice from the other side of the line that could only belong to Augie.

"Augie, hi." I greeted in a tired voice.

"_Annie?_" he asked from the other side of the line.

"Yeah." I assured him.

"_This is your day off, why are you calling?_"

"I have a favor to ask you." I began.

"_What kind of favor?_" he wondered.

"The favor kind of favor," I answered seriously.

"_What do you need?_"

"I need you to get my sister, Tori, into private training. With someone good: Maybe Jai, or Mike, or even Joan if possible," I answered, trying to sound as un-desperate as I could.

"_What makes her so special?"_ he asked. I could hear the keyboard clicking.

"She's as good with languages as I am," I began, "and I taught her how to fight a few years ago. Look, she's young: fresh out of high school, eighteen."

"_You told me_ s_he graduated early_," he interrupted, "_That will look good to them, help her get in_."

"I know, but Augie, something horrible happened to her yesterday. She's hollow, and afraid. I think it has something to do with her boyfriend. She told me he was abusive, but something specific happened to her last night. She won't give me straight answer," I explained.

"_Good motive to join_," he remarked.

"If you could just wait for me to get there, we could talk to Joan about it together. I could bring her with me, she could prove herself to them. I know she can do it, we just need to give her a chance."

"_Okay_," Augie assured me.

"I'll be there in an hour," I told him, before hanging up. A feeling of cold, hard, dread coursed through me. I didn't want to subject her to this, but I also knew that I had no choice if I wanted to keep her nightmares away. I slowly crept into my room to wake her. She was sitting up, looking pale, and sickly.

"Let's get you ready," I told her, taking her hand, leading her to my closet. I pulled out a purple blouse and gray skirt for her to wear, and some grey shoes, and set them on my bed. "You change, and I'll get your passport from my drawer." She nodded emptily as I left the room. I heard the rustle of fabric that meant that she was changing, and I left to grab her spare passport that I kept in my lock box.

She appeared next to me a few minutes later, dressed in my clothes, ready to go. "Are you sure?" I asked again.

"Positive," she answered with a renewed fire in her eyes.

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><p><strong>I have been thinking about this story line since probably the end of the first season of Covert Affairs. I feel that the only way to get it out of my crazy head is to write it, so that is what I am doing. I don't know how the events in the middle of the story will go quite yet, because there is one of two ways that it can go. A lot of you will probably not like this story if it goes the one way, but you won't particularly like the other way either, so I have a lot of thinking to do. All I ask is that when the time comes, you stick with me, because I have a reason for both.<strong>

**This story will mainly take place in Tori's POV, because she is what this story is about, although I will try and fit Annie's POV into almost every chapter, because she has to have thoughts on what her sister is going through. WARNING: this story will have one more chaper, and then skip ahead a few months, and have flashbacks to those months. It will help the story flow better, and I won't bore you with the whole four months of her training. **

**I will have the next chapter up ASAP! :)**


	3. Lesson 2: Speaking Twelve Languages

**Hello! Here is chapter two for all of you! Thank you to _Amberrox _who reviewed today. I gave you a preview, I hope you had time to read it. I am on a long spring break ( I finished my year early.) so I will probably have the next chapter up tomorrow. If you do happen to review, your preview will be of the chapter after the next one. (If I put it up soon after I am to send your preview. I hope that makes sense.) I will give you a preview of something, and be sure to tell you which chapter you are receiving it for.**

**I am still in sarch for a beta, so if you are interested PM me, or email me. My email is posted on my profile if that is how you would like to do it. So R&R! Reviewing gets you a present!**

**~BroadwayGlory**

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><p><strong>Lesson 2: Speaking Twelve Languages is Very Beneficial<strong>

Tori's POV

I walked into Langley closely following Annie. She swiped her security badge and explained that I had an appointment with Augie. I was borderline hysterical at this point. Everything was so new and confusing, but I knew that if I ever wanted to feel safe by myself I had to do this.

We walked into an open wing with many computers and a few offices. Who I presumed was Augie was standing by the stairs staring blankly ahead. "Annie," he greeted. He then pulled out a laser type of thing and pointed it at the ground. I got that he was bling then, and that this was how he avoided bumping into things. He held out his elbow for me, and Annie gestured that I take it. I put my hand into the crook of his elbow and he smiled.

"And I assume that this is Victoria?" he asked, a smile still gracing his lips.

"Tori," I introduced myself

"Well, Tori, I am Augie. I assume that we will be great friends in the months to come," he told me.

"You mean Joan is going to approve her?" Annie asked.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" a woman of about forty said from behind me. I spun around quickly, letting go of Augie. He took my other hand, after he had turned around as well. "Hello Tori. I am Joan. I understand that you are interested in joining us?" she spoke to me.

"Yes ma'am," I agreed.

"Please, call me Joan. Why don't you three come with me and we will start with an interview. It's not often that we personally train people, but I feel that if you are as special as your file says, that we will start you first thing tomorrow."

She walked ahead of us, leading us to an office. Augie squeezed my hand in the crook of his elbow a bit tighter, reassuring me silently. The butterflies in my stomach turned to stones, dropping to my feet. My breathing sped up a bit, and my fingers turned cold with nervousness.

"So, Tori, tell me about yourself," Joan ordered giving me a sweet smile. Her blonde hair flowed down to her shoulders in a straight waterfall. Her eyes held a motherly sweetness that I had only ever seen from Annie and Danielle.

"Uh, what would you like to know?" I asked, cocking my head to the side a bit.

"Tell me as much as you can," she smiled.

"Okay. I'm eighteen, I graduated from high school early a few months back. I ran cross-country, and I played basketball. I speak English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Romanian, Belarusian, Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, German and Italian from travelling with my family. I was a straight A student and graduated with a 3.95 GPA. I have travelled, as you probably know. That's really it. I moved here from Seattle Washington," to tell the truth, I was the picture of a perfect student, and spoke an unrealistic amount of languages, and was an athlete, but I was still nervous that I would not get in.

"Wow. You sure are well rounded. You're an athlete, and a great student, you've seen the world, and you speak twelve languages—the same as your sister. Why do you want to join us right out of high school, when you could probably get into any college you want and become whatever you wish?" Joan inquired. This was the tough question, and I knew that I had to admit it to myself and Annie and Augie what had happened the other night. The thought of telling them made me sick to my stomach, but I knew that what I spoke in this room would stay in this room unless I wanted it otherwise.

I took a deep breath to steady my voice and looked Joan right in the eye. "My boyfriend, Sam, had been abusive to me for about a year before I came here, and the other night he stole something from me that I can never get back. H-he. . . he forced himself me, and I'm not going to allow myself to feel like a scared little girl anymore. No man is ever going to touch me again without my consent." I looked away quickly to hide my tears from her. I didn't want to appear like a weak-scared little girl to her.

I felt a slim pair of arms wrap around me, and looked up into Joan's grey-blue eyes, and I felt instantly at ease. "Did you report this?" she asked gently. I shook my head.

"I didn't even want to admit it to myself until just now," I whispered to her. She nodded, and smiled. She looked closely at me for a few more minutes, and then quickly returned to her desk. She quickly filled out an important looking.

"I'm going to get you into private training with Jai starting tomorrow morning. I'm sure he wants something to do after sitting at a desk for a few months now. Why don't you and I go see him, and we can all have a chat." She stood, and reached to wrap a slender arm around my shoulder. For the first time in a year, I felt completely safe and at ease.

"Come in," came a voice from behind the door Joan had just knocked on.

"Joan, what a nice surprise," said a dark man from behind the desk in front of us. I had a feeling that the surprise wasn't fully welcomed, and I immediately felt self-conscious. I felt that this man would chew me up and spit me out if I stepped one toe in the wrong direction. "Who do we have here?" he asked, his voice brightening a bit as he eyeballed me.

"This is Tori, Annie's sister. We are looking to put her into private training with you. Are you up to it?" Jai paused for a second before standing and beginning an orbit around me.

"Are you as good with languages as Annie is?" he asked suspiciously. I nodded as he continues to orbit. "And what else do you do?" he asked.

"I run," I answered.

"Good," he said. He then reached to grab my wrist, but I caught his hand before it reached me and held it in front of me, my muscles straining against the force he was putting behind it. I stared at him until he dropped my hand. "Fast reflexes," he commented. I nodded tersely.

"Okay, I'll take her," he told Joan. He then turned to me. I'll see you tomorrow at nine A.M. sharp," he ordered quite rudely. I nodded, and he returned back to his desk, flipping his wrist in a signal to get out of his office.

"He seems nice," I muttered to Joan sarcastically. She chuckled, but didn't offer an explanation.

The next morning, Annie and I departed her apartment at eight-thirty to get to work. The car ride was silent for a few minutes and she began talking. "I have the day off again tomorrow, so why don't you take the car, and go to work, and I will start looking for a new apartment," she told me.

"Why would you do that?" I asked.

"Well, you need a room too," she told me in a 'duh' tone of voice.

"I'm fine sleeping on the couch," I told her.

"You won't be once you really get into your training. You're going to be sore beyond belief," she explained.

"I called Danielle yesterday. She told me that I could have your old rom, and my car is going to be here soon," I told her.

"Are you sure?" she asked. I nodded to her.

"I'll start moving my things in tomorrow night, and then I'll move in when my car gets here," I told her.

"Okay, but I thought the point of you staying with me was so that you felt safe?" she asked.

"Well, her husband is there, and I'll be able to take care of myself soon enough," I explained.

"I really would rather you just let me find a two bedroom apartment," she voiced.

"Okay, I was just trying to make it easier on you, but if you would rather just find a new apartment, I'm down with that," I told her.

"It's settled then. Augie told me that there was a two bedroom apartment in the floor below his." The conversation ended there, as we pulled into the parking lot.

We walked through the big double doors, and we had to part ways.

"Are you sure you know where you are going?" she worried.

"I know where to go Annie," I chuckled. "Have a good day."

"You too, don't let Jai push you around too much," she bid. I smiled and waved. I flashed my newly-acquired badge to the security guard, and he nodded, letting me pass.

I felt a warm hand clamp down on my shoulder as I made my way to Jai's office. "She's right, you know," Augie joked. "Don't let him push you around too much. If he asks you to go for a coffee run, you should tell me, and I'll whack him with my keyboard." I chuckled at him.

"Have a nice day," I bid him, walking to rest of the way to Jai's office. He was standing just outside it, flashing me a winning grin. I flashed him my best smile in return.

"Ready to do some tests?" he asked.

"What kind of tests?" I asked as we walked towards a gym.

"You'll see," he winked at me. I shook my head at him, trotting behind him.

"Okay, first test," he announced. "Let's see how long it takes you to run around this track twice. He gestured me to take my place on the quarter-mile track. "Go," he announced, starting his stop watch.

I was off as soon as he said it. I felt air rushing through my hair, and gently caressing my face. I ran as fast as I could. I imagined that Sam was chasing me, and that gave me enough juice to get the task done in one minute forty-seven seconds. I reached the end, and Jai began to clap.

"Impressive," he stated.

"I trained all throughout middle and high-school , and I won almost every meet I ever had. It should be impressive," I told him.

"Ooh, I got a feisty one," he teased.

"What next," I asked, my breath becoming steady.

"Let's see how long you can hold yourself up over this bar," he told me, showing me to a metal pull-up bar. I stopped, and was about to jump, when he grabbed me around the waist and lifted me up. "Tell me when you're ready for me to let go," he ordered.

"I got my hands situated, I nodded at him. He pressed his stopwatch as he let me go. I held on for as long as I could, but apparently that wasn't long enough. I stayed put for about ten seconds, and then my arms began to give. I pushed myself farther up, but my arms were about ready to let go. For five more seconds of pain, I held still, but my arms began to shake. Finally, two seconds later, I could no longer hold myself go. I had only meant to drop to the ground, but I managed to scrape my head on the bar on the way down. I fell onto my feet, and then clutched my now bleeding forehead.

"Are you alright?" Jai called, as he rushed over to me. I nodded, and kept my hand firmly pressed to my head. He halted in front of me, trying to take my hand from my head. I shook my head, only to find that that made me slightly dizzy. "Tori, let me see," he murmured, gently removing my hand from my head with his own. He kept my hand firmly in his grasp as he wiped the blood from ,y forehead with his other thumb.

"I'm alright," I told him quietly.

"Yeah, you'll live," he told me, not returning my hand. "You'll have a mark there, but the bleeding is stopping. Just don't touch it, okay?" I nodded in agreement. "Well, this is just your luck, because the next lesson is mental."

Annie's POV

Letting her walk away was torture to me. I knew what had to be done, but I didn't like it. I only hoped that Jai would treat her more kindly than he treated most. I knew that she would always come back to me, but I almost had a heart attack when she suggested that she move in with Danielle to make it easier for me. Knowing my little sister, there was nothing that she wouldn't do to make things as easy as possible for someone that she loved. I had politely told her that I would rather she was with me, and I could sense her relief when she agreed.

I knew that the relationship between us wasn't normal for sisters, but than again, I had practically raised her. First when we were always busy getting settled in a new place, just to move on, and then between my parent's fights, my mother had seemed to forget about her. I taught her each new language that we learned and the others that I knew, and I taught her to do all the basic things. I had prepared her well for when I had to leave, and I was comforted knowing that she could take care of herself. I suppose that I do find some releif knowing that she will be able to defend herself against the dangers of the world that she is going to send herself into.

As I sit at my desk, knowing that no assignment will come today, I begin composing her file. I wrote all the languages that she knew (Including the ones that she had not told Joan about,) her track stats, he social security number and all other bits and peices of information I knew about her. All of her info put together made an impressive file, even for a CIA agent-to-be. I no longer felt so much fear, and I finally saw that my sister would be just fine.

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><p>Come on! Hit the review button, and get yourself a glimpse of what is to come. Remember that if you review anonymously, and you want a preview to give me your email, so that I can sned it to you. :) I'll see you tomorrow my lovelies!<p> 


	4. Lesson 3: ALWAYS Have a Plan B

**Hey readers. I know that it has been a long time, and really there's no excuse. This chapter is about a thousand words longer, but that takes me only thirty more minutes or so. The truth is, my computer randomly turned off, and the restored chapter, was only half of what it had been. I really hate it when that happens. Anyways, I lost half my chapter, and then got uninspired. Like I said no excuse.**

**However, I have been working my butt off on it for the past few hours because I knew I had to get it out to you.**

**Next topic. Thanks to Amberrox for reviewing on all three full length chapters so far! This one's of you! (Again, I think!) IF ANYONE REVIEWS THEY GET A PREVIEW OF THE NEXT CHAPTER! If you leave an anonymous review, and would still like a preview, give me your email address, and I will shoot you an email with the preview!**

**ADDED ANNOUNCEMENT, PLEASE READ! I HAVE CHANGED TORI'S AGE TO EIGHTEEN TO MAKE THE STORY MORE CREDIBLE, AND SOME OTHER THINGS THAT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND AT TEH END OF THIS CHAPTER.**

**No more, just R&R&E!**

**~BroadwayGlory**

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><p><strong>Lesson 3: Always Have a Plan B<strong>

Tori's POV

_3 Months Later. . . _

I sped to Jai's office, clutching the manila envelope in my hands. They were shaking from excitement, and I grinned at each person I passed. "What's the rush, Tori?" came the voice of Arthur from behind me. I grinned once again as I spun to meet his gaze. I held up the assignment folder, and swiveled it a little.

"This," I stated, "is my first assignment." He chuckled at me and nodded his head, allowing me to continue down the hallway. A flight of stairs and fifteen doors later, I was bursting into Jai's office.

"Hey tori," he greeted in a surprised tone.

"Here," I said, practically throwing the folder at him.

"I see you get our assignment," he stated.

"_Our_ assignment?" I asked, cocking my head in a questioning habit.

"It's out of the country and they don't want you leaving the country by yourself quite yet," he explained. I nodded, only slightly disappointed. I really didn't mind sharing the mission with Jai. He did train me after all, and I guess it was comforting to not be alone. "So, the first thing you do when you get an assignment is. . . "he quizzed.

"Read it," I supplied, flipping through the assignment once again.

"And did you do that?" he asked.

"Yes," I answered.

"So where are we off to this time?"

"Buenos Arias, Argentina." I told him.

"What are we doing?" he quizzed, leaning back in the chair and folding his hands behind the chair.

"We're getting an American citizen out of Dodge. He's been stranded in his hotel for thirteen days. He chose a bad time to go. I really _hate_ rebellions." I told him.

"Me too. Name?" he asked.

"John Stratford, head of Stratford Incorporated, and resident billionaire." I supplied.

"What does the company do?" he asked.

"They make most of the country's windows." I answered lazily from his couch.

"Does Auggie need us to do anything before we go?" he asked.

"No, our plane leaves in two hours. We just have to go," I said.

"Alright, I'll show you how we're going to prepare in these two hours," he told me, standing. I followed him out his door and to a locker room. "Here is your duffle bag. It has two spare shirts and a pair of pants. See how it's still basically empty?" he asked, sliding the zipper open, and showing me the near-empty duffle bag. I nodded, and he continued to reach into my locker. "Here is the passport that you will be using this time. That will go in the front pocket. You're going to want an extra pair of shoes, and a jacket," he told me, folding these things into his bag."

Two hours later, we arrived at the airport and walked outside towards the C.I.A plane that would transport us to Buenos Arias. He clunked his way up the stairs, and I followed behind in a considerably more graceful fashion.

After a thoroughly miserable twelve and a half hour flight, I was not in the mood to be dragged by the elbow through the airport like a child. Yet here I was, being dragged through the airport like a child. On the other side of his arm, Jai probably had decided that I couldn't keep up with the simple task of following him. It's not like the airport was crowded, so I still have no idea why he was acting like it would be the end of the world if he let go of me.

The thing that I hated most about my chosen occupation was that people tended to think of me more as a child than an agent. The only people who didn't seem to have that problem were Joan, Annie, Auggie, and up until now Jai.

I knew that I wasn't even eighteen yet, but I knew that I most definitely didn't act like it. After all that I had been through, I was as mature as an adult. Of course they would probably think of me as a defenseless little girl if they had known what happened to me. Even Jai didn't look at me the same way after I told him, although his look was more protective and determined than pitiful. I still remembered the day I told him like it was yesterday.

"_So, what's your reason behind all this?" he asked about two weeks into my training. I knew what he was talking about. He wanted to know why I had joined, but I was still debating on whether or not he should know that secret._

"_Come on," he prodded. "Nobody joins like you did—getting Joan's attention right away—without a backstory._

"_You don't want to know," I warned._

"_Yes, I do want to know." He persisted._

"_No, I mean you _really_ don't want to know." I stated._

"_Tori come on. Tell me your story, I want to know." I had no choice after that. I knew that we wouldn't do any training until I told him._

""_About a year ago, my boyfriend's dad died of cancer," I began. "He was devastated. When he started talking to me again, he became cold. Then he started yelling at me. Nothing physical yet, but I knew that it would start anyways. He hit me for the first time when I asked him to get help. I told him that he wasn't himself, and that he should talk to somebody. They kept coming and coming—the hits—he would get this cold, distant look in his eyes, and I'm pretty sure he remembered nothing of what he did. One night we got into an argument. He wanted more 'action' and I refused. I left and went home. That night, he just showed up at my house. The look in his eyes was a hundred times worse. He got closer to me and told me not to be afraid. He started ripping my clothes off and he… he…" I trailed off in sobs. Jai pulled me into his arms, but I flinched away._

_He didn't let go, and eventually I relaxed and stopped crying. "When Annie gave me this opportunity, I promised myself that nothing like that would ever happen again. I was never going to be burned again." My voice rang with finality, as I pulled out of his arms and stood._

During my thoughts I had barely noticed that we were getting in a car. I was snapped out of my revere when I sat down and processed that I was no longer moving.

"So, how are things with you," Jai asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Well, no guys have forced themselves on me lately—to answer the question that you didn't ask, but probably meant to. How have you been?" I answered sarcastically.

"You know that's not what I meant," he replied.

"Sorry, long plane ride." I explained.

"Well snap out of it, we're almost at the hotel. Our game plan is to get in and get out. He is in room 1472 on the seventeenth floor. We get him out of the hotel and to the airport, and then back to the U.S. we go," he explained.

"And plan b?" I questioned.

"There is no plan b," he answered, not taking his eyes off the road.

"What if something comes up?" I asked

"Nothing will come up," he responded as he stopped the car in front of the hotel and got out. I didn't have time to relay my weird feelings about there being no doorman before someone was already pointing the gun at us.

"Jai," I whispered, "I think something came up."

I was shoved to the floor in the lobby while poor Jai had no idea what these men were trying to say to him. I could have talked to them, of course, but they didn't realize that.

"¿Quién eres? ¿Qué quieres?" (Who are you? What do you want?)

"Soy Maybel Ramsey y este es mi... marido Ron. Estamos buscando a mi padre. Por favor, sólo queremos lo que son seguros." (I am Maybel Ramsey and this is my… husband Ron. We're looking for my father. Please, we just want him to be safe.) I replied in Spanish. Jai looked back at me with relief evident in his features.

"¡Cállate!" (Shut up) the leader yelled at me.

"Él no habla a español! Que no entiende una palabra que estamos diciendo." (He doesn't speak Spanish. He can't understand a word we're saying) I pleaded to him.

He motioned to his meat headed cronies, and they threw Jai to the floor, and pulled me roughly up. "No verá tu padre niña. Usted permanecerá aquí hasta que los administradores de topar con lo que queremos." (You won't see your father little girl. You will stay here until the managers come up with what we want.) he taunted.

Suddenly I remembered something from my travels in Argentina. They would never put a woman in true danger. If I fainted I would probably let Jai take me up to a room. I made a face, and let myself fall back. While I pretended to be unconscious, I felt arms lift me up and men shoved the person—Jai I assumed—towards the elevator. He pressed a button, and the doors closed. I opened my eyes and jumped out of his arms.

"Okay, now we can get to the seventeenth floor," I explained. "How we will get out, I have no idea." He just nodded tensely. "Oh, and while we're waiting," I continued. "Who was right? I was right," I gloated.

"Yes you were right, I should have listened to you, blah, blah, blah," he replied. I could hear in his voice that he was almost proud of me for coming up with this plan on the spot.

"Okay, chances are, they are coming up behind us when this elevator gets back down to them. We have to work fast, but to buy us some time," I pressed every button for every floor above the fourth—which is where we were now.

"Smart, quick thinker, that's a good quality for someone in our line of work," he complimented.

"When your mother and father are always going at each other's next you have to think fast," I explained quickly. He just nodded. "So what's the plan boss?"

"Get in and get out. I saw an emergency staircase on the right side of the building when I was looking at the map. That's opposite of 1742. That's what they'll expect us to do though. So we'll take the service staircase two doors down from his room. We can do that when we get him. We'll escape outback. However, we have to go out through the next building, an embassy—the embassy for France—so we'll go through the back and you'll explain who we are. They'll let us through and we will go down the street, at least four blocks away, and catch a taxi to the airport." I nodded in understanding, as the elevator dinged that we were on the sixteenth floor.

We both got in position to run, and when the elevator rang, we both took off to room 1742. We got there quickly, and I noted that the service stairs were on the left side and across the hall from the door we were knocking on now. The door opened to a short, plump man with glasses. He looked at us wearily, and I realized that he was holding a gun. This was John Stratford.

"Mr. Stratford," I began, holding my hands up in the air. "I am Tori Walker, and this is my Partner Jai Wilcox. We are from the Central Intelligence Agency, sent to bring you back to the U.S. safely.

The heavyset man heaved a big sigh and put his gun down. "Come in," he said.

Jai and I followed him a little ways to the room, and he sat down on the bed. "Mr. Stratford, I am going to tell you this once and only once. There are men downstairs, approximately fifteen, guarding this hotel. We are going to help you escape," I explained. "We'll go down the service stairs and through the backdoor of the French Embassy. Then we will proceed to run at least four blocks to hail a taxi back to the airport. Our plane is waiting for us to come bring you home."

"Is there anything we should know about? Asthma, recent injuries, medicines that you absolutely need to have near you?" Jai asked. John shook his head, and we prepared to take him out of the hotel.

We were just about to begin our journey out of the Embassy when things went from bad to worse. Two of the meatheads from the hotel came tearing around the corner. We saw them and ran as fast as we could the other way, but it was no use. They were catching up to us, and there was no way that John would be able to run like this for much longer.

"We're going to have to fight!" I yelled at Jai as we were running.

"Are you crazy?" he asked.

"John, run three more blocks the direction we're heading. Wait for us there!" I yelled at him. I put a hand on Jai's chest to slow him as John sped ahead. "We have to distract them so he can get away," I panted. We both turned on our heels and faced the two men chasing us.

I came to two realizations at that second. One, these men had no guns, and two, we were on a very high bridge, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The first man ran at Jai, and a fight began between them. It was obvious that the much lighter, much more in shape Jai would win.

I worried about my opponent then. I knew I was strong, but was I strong enough to take on a man twice my size? He ran towards me, hands open like he was trying to get ahold of me. I dodged him, and he ran into the street lamp I had been in front of.

I was too caught up in my attacker to not realize that Jai's fight was getting dangerously close to me, and the man I was faced with was coming at me as well. I was being cornered.

I didn't have time to think fast, because at the same time, the three men reached me. Jai thought quickly and pushed his unsuspecting opponent into the water. I quickly followed. The man I was facing grabbed my wrist on his way down.

I gasped, and grasped the railing of the bridge, feeling nothing but air under my feet. The wind swung my body around uncontrollably, and I knew then and there that I was going to fall. Then I saw Jai's face hovering above mine. He grasped my wrist and held on tight, his eyes never leaving mine. As he grabbed my other wrist, the wind picked up and I began to feel the mist from the water fifty feet below where I was hanging.

"You have to let go of the bridge Tori!" Jai shouted over the wind and the roar of the Atlantic.

"I can't!" I yelled helplessly.

"Do you trust me?" he asked. I debated for a few moments, and I could see his face fall a little with every passing second.

"Yes!" I finally called back. "With my life!" I realized that this was the first time I had trusted a man since that fateful night almost four months ago. His meant more than anything else that I could have told him, and he knew it.

"Then you have to let go, please, so I can help you!" He called. My eyes never left his as I allowed my grip to loosen on the railing. He pulled me up over the railing and into his embrace. A small whimper escaped my lips. "I know, but you're safe now" he whispered into my hair. His grip on me got tighter, and I finally felt safe. Safer than I had in months, which was weird because we were in the middle of a foreign country.

I realized why that was though, as soon as I let myself think that thought. It was because I loved him. Only three words came to mind with that thought. Oh. Hell. No

I found myself in Jai's office after my debriefing. I was sitting next to him on the couch he had behind his desk, sipping coffee. I still couldn't bring myself to tall him of my feelings. I knew if I said anything, he would just say something rude, and incredibly annoying that would not make me love him any less.

We sat in silence for a long time, just sipping coffee. "Tori," he whispered. I looked over to his face. "I'm really glad that you're okay," he explained.

"I'm glad you're okay too," I replied. He put his coffee down on the table, and I did the same. He pulled me into his arms, and I returned the hug gratefully.

"God If something were to happen to you…" he trailed off, heaving a gigantic sigh. "I just don't know what I would do," he finished.

"Jai, people in our line of work get hurt all the time," I explained. "Occupational hazard."

"I know, but not all those people are you," he explained. I looked into his eyes, trying to find a hint as to what he meant when suddenly, his lips are softly on mine. I knew that this wasn't possible, and as much I wanted it, I know this had to be stopped. I fought off the feelings that the kiss brought, and pulled away.

"We can't do this," I told him. "I'm too young and,"

"And what?" he asked, holding my hands in his.

"We just can't," I whispered back, grabbing my bag and speedily walked out of his office. I wiped a stray tear from my face as he called my name. I had to fight myself to not look back at him because I knew I would cave in, and let myself fall. I knew the trouble that he could get in, and I knew that I wasn't good enough for him. I was just a young, broken girl—an under aged one—and I wasn't prepared to give him the thing that he most likely wanted, and I knew that eventually he would hurt me, and I would be left out to dry on my ass again.

I looked out the front windows as I approached them, but what I saw stopped me cold. I put my hand out, it landing on Jai's chest. He looked at me puzzled, but followed my gaze soon afterwards. "Holy shit," he muttered. We glanced at each other and began to run out the door to the van white van that had been piling in people just seconds before.

* * *

><p><strong>ADDED ANNOUNCEMENT PLEASE READ! I HAVE MADE TORI'S AGE 18 INSTEAD OF 16 BECAUSE OF THIS THING WITH JAI. AS I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT, THIS MAKES JAI'S INTEREST TOTALLY LEGIT. I WASN'T REALLY THINKING ABOUT IT TOO HARD WHEN I DECIDED THE AGE. I DID NOT MEAN TO TURN JAI INOT A SEXUAL PREDATOR BY ANY MEANS, I AM SORRY IF I OFFENDED ANYONE BEFORE I CHANGED THE AGE.<strong>

Ooh, cliff hanger. COme on, push the review button, you know you want to. And if you do you get a preview. It's kind of a win win. So make both of us happy, and tell me what you think, any ideas, or what you would like to see more of... yada yada yada.


	5. Lesson 4:  Romanian Terrorists

_Hello everyone. I'm back! So I got inspired to write more today because I got so many story allerys and favorites. Liek, five in one day. I was kind of discouraged and rethinking my whole plotline with a recent conversation I had. This anonymous person did bring up some nice points, and was only trying to help improve my plotline, but I'm going to let you decide the outcome. I will list a review or PM topic at the bottoim of this chapter so that you can let me know what you would like to see. Whatever you decide will peobably become true in the next chapter, so I won't be able to write until I get a few opinions. It really does help, so I would apreciate it if you tell me your thoughts on the situation matter._

_I'm still semi-looking for a beta. It's nice to edit my chapters myself and get them to you sooner, but if you are interested, or really think I need it, I most like likely won't say no._

_With that, please R&R&E!_

_~BroadwayGlory_

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><p><strong>Lesson 4: Romanian Terrorists Have Nice Liquor<strong>

I ran after the van that was now containing at least four innocent people—office workers most likely—taking the lead over Jai, almost able to grab a handle on the back of the truck. "I won't be able to keep up for much longer!" he yelled from behind me.

"Get the car!" I yelled at him, still following the truck, pulling onto the long drive that led into Langley. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him dart for his car, a flashy black Mercedes. As he drove next to me, easily keeping my pace, he threw my door open. I hurled myself into the passenger seat—a maneuver that I hoped to never do again. I closed my door behind me, my heart pounding. "I hope you have a full tank of gas, we don't know how far they are going to make us follow them," I told him.

"It's full, just filled it up this morning," he stated, keeping his eyes on the road. I didn't blame him; I really didn't want to look at him right now either. You could cut the tension with a knife at this point.

"I'll call Joan, and she can arrange some backup," I informed him, pulling out my cell phone. It rang twice before Joan picked up.

"Tori," she sighed, almost sounding relieved. "The security cameras picked up Jai running after you and then you both just running off together. What happened?" she asked in an even-toned voice.

"There was a van, they were shoving a bunch of people in—probably office workers, four or five of them—we are pursuing them now, we just turned off the drive," I informed her, still panting slightly from my run.

"Is this you requesting reinforcements?" she asked.

"Yes," I answered.

"Alright, which car do you have?" she asked.

"Jai's," I replied, my breathing finally evening out.

"Alright, I'll have Auggie turn on Jai's tracking device, and then I will have Annie, Josh and Quinn following in Annie's car. Do you copy?" she asked.

"Loud and clear," I confirmed before hanging up. "Auggie is going to turn your car's tracking device on, and then Annie, Josh and Quinn are going to follow us in her car." He nodded tensely, finally turning his head.

"So why not?" he asked me. I knew he was referring to me rejecting his attempt to form a relationship to me, but I had no idea why he would bring it up now.

"Do we really have to do this now? We're kind of pursuing a group of terrorists on the Virginia highway," I reminded him, desperate for him to change the subject.

"Yes we do. I can drive and have a conversation at the same time," He answered defiantly.

"Fine," I began, "then how old are you Jai?"

"Twenty eight," he answered honestly.

"Alright then, that's a ten year difference. I am just barely of age, and there is a _huge_ maturity gap. It might not matter if we were both ten years older, but we're not," I finished my first point. "Next, are you really willing to go through the rumors and the trouble?"

"Tori, I've been shot at, and my father is a convicted traitor. I think I'm used to trouble and rumors," he stated.

"Well I'm not. Lastly, you don't want me in the state I'm in. I'm not over what happened to me, and I'm not prepared to be in a relationship with anyone," I finished.

"I think you're just afraid," he told me.

"Of course I'm afraid," I answered honestly. "I don't want anyone to get hurt, but I guess that's not possible for you. You bring these things upon yourself," I answered him.

"How am I supposed to deal with the feelings?" he asked softly.

"Jai," I sighed. "What you're feeling is brotherly love. You trained me, and took me under your wing. You're my mentor, and I admire you. You feel this protectiveness and affection mixed together, and you confuse it with love. And it is a kind of love, just not the romantic type," I explained.

"I know what I'm feeling," he answered. I sighed and turned my head out to look out the window. I was effectively ignoring him. Part of me wanted him to call me on this crap, and the other part, just wanted to run and never see him again. I had to talk him out of this, or I would get what I wanted, and yet, what I was most afraid of: him.

"Look, think about it. You are above me, not to mention that I am new, and young. Do you realize that everyone will think that you're just looking for easy sex? Also, Joan knows what happened to me. She will report this. You will be suspended pending an investigation, and will probably lose your job," I explained.

"You're not a minor," he replied.

"No, but I am just barely an adult, and below you on the food chain," I told him, hoping that he didn't know that I was basically pulling this whole conversation out of my ass.

"If you don't want to be with me, then say it. Look me in the eyes and say it," he ordered, turning to face me, glancing at the road occasionally.

"I," I began looking him in the eye. I knew that this was what the best was for both of us, and I had to protect myself, so "I don't want to be with you," I said smoothly, meeting his gaze with my own. He sighed and turned back to the road, his jaw set. He knew that I was lying, and I knew that this conversation was far from over. This was going to be one long day.

About fifteen minutes later, we were pulling into an old boat shed. The place gave me the creeps, but I pushed that thought aside as we hid the car among some bushes and ducked behind an upturned rowboat just outside the big sliding doors.

We watched as the men unloaded all four prisoners and led them into the shed. I fought back a sick feeling when I realized that Sarah—the woman who had so nicely offered me the couch by her desk when Jai had worked me too hard and I had decided to hide. I stifled a gasp, and they appeared not to have heard it.

When they had all been herded in, two men started patrolling the door. After about five rounds, I saw a third man come out and talk into his phone. Negotiating a ransom, I assumed. I looked over to Jai, and he put a finger over his mouth, signaling me to stay quiet. He got up on his knees and observed the process going on behind me. I allowed my head to fall back against the boat, to stay as flat against it as I could.

Quiet quickly turned into chaos as one of the patrolmen saw Jai and began to shoot.

**Annie's POV**

I got the call to assist with an op that had arisen about ten minutes after I had received word that Tori had left the premises. I had seen the footage of her and Jai running out like crazy people, and I knew then—as my heart dropped into my shoes—that something was terribly wrong. Auggie had turned on the tracker on Jai's car almost frantically.

Joan had then proceeded to tell our make-shift team about what had happened. She told me how Tori had seen whoever it was on the van and then gone after them with Jai. I knew that Jai would take care of her, but I also knew that whoever had done this was very dangerous if they had succeeded in making it out of Langley, or even in for that matter.

The highway flew by as I drove well above the speed limit in my little red car, but I didn't care about the speed limit, I cared about my sister, and my colleagues. I pulled down a private road where the GPS had followed the car's tracking device too. As I got closer I heard gunfire.  
>"Go, go go!" Josh yelled, banging his hand on the passenger seat he was sitting behind.<p>

I pulled up as close as I could, and we took positions behind my car as the fire started aiming towards our car, relieving the fire on the poor boat Jai and Tori were stranded behind. I motioned with my hand for them to get behind the car. They both ran quickly—hunched over—to us, Jai making Tori go first. When she was by my side, I allowed myself a quick hug before pulling another gun out from under the backseat. I handed it to her, seeing as she was the only one who didn't have one.

"I'm not authorized to use this!" she shouted over the ruckus.

"I'm authorizing you to use it!" I yelled back.

"No, Annie, I can't! Like I literally can't fire that thing!" she told me, weighing it in her hands.

"You can do it! It may be the only way to keep you safe!" I shouted. A conflicted look crossed over to her features, quickly turning into confidence, as she held on to it before firing, right into the last guard's head.

**Tori's POV**

I weighed the gun in my hands another time, feeling conflicted, as Annie shouted at me to use it. I quickly found my confidence button and pushed it, because soon enough, I knew that I could do what I had to.

I turned around and aimed, hitting one of the meatheads right in the kneecap. He fell to the ground, clutching his knee, and writing in pain. I turned back around and leaned into the car. I could feel all the eyes on me as silence filled the air. "What?" I asked, looking around.

"I did not teach you how to fire a gun. Not like that at least," jai stressed.

"Lucky shot," I defended.

Annie shook her head, before turning to see the doors wide open. God, criminals were dumb, why would they use everyone they had to keep us out? Annie quickly led the way. I stood, and Josh inconspicuously held out his fist. I bumped It with my own and then returned to focusing.

We crept inside the boathouse quietly, still on the lookout for any leftover meatheads. We made it about ten steps inside when I felt someone clamp over my mouth, and begin pulling me back. I let out a muffled squeal, and elbowed him right in the gut, just like I was taught. He fell over with a grunt. I quickly pulled the gun out of his belt, and unloaded it, dropping it on his already bruised gut. He groaned again, and I pivoted around—good thing I did—and found another man ready to take me down. A quick glance around confirmed my suspicion. Everyone else was locked in combat.

The criminal and I circled each other. "You're just a little girl," he scoffed in an accent that sounded Romanian.

"Small, but wiry," I told him.

"What is a child, like yourself doing with a company like the CIA?" he questioned hotly, still circling with me.

"What is a Romanian doing in the U.S? Not a vacation, I assume," I sneered.

"I asked first," he stated.

"I asked second," I replied.

"You are quick-witted. I like that. Too bad I'm going to kill you," he told me.

"And even before you told me what you are doing here, pity," I answered.

"You are also arrogant, I don't like that so much," he said.

"Not arrogant, distracting you," I commented. That comment made him lose focus for a moment, confusing him as to why I would tell him I was distracting him. I saw my opportunity, and tackled him onto the ground. I then realized that that was a very bad idea, for this man was probably a hundred pounds heavier, and much, much stronger than me. I was in no condition to wrestle with him. I tried to get up quickly, but he rolled us over first. He was hovering over me now.

He flipped out a gleaming blade. A simple pocket knife, but a knife nonetheless. He began to bring it towards me. I grabbed his wrist, straining against his brawn, trying to keep him from killing me. He was inching closer to my neck when a large glass bottle struck him over the head. "That was some pretty nice liquor too," Annie commented as he slumped over me. I pushed the heavyset man off of me, and she held her hand out to help me up.

"Is that all of them?" I asked.

"For now," she agreed.

"Good. They're Romanian, the accent says everything. I couldn't get him to tell me why they were here though," I panted to her.

"That's alright. This is a rescue mission, not an info op," she reassured.

"Did you find them?" I asked.

"Yeah. They were in the next room behind a big boat." She answered.

"Where are they now? In my car; I'm going to drive them back to Langley. Josh and Quinn are going to drive back in the van, and you and Jai are going to drive back in his car," she explained.

"Do you want us to take a few people?" I asked desperately.

"Tori," Annie chuckled. Jai drives a sport car. A two seat sports car, she reminded me.

"Well, I could ride back with Quinn and Josh, and someone can ride with him," I stated, still trying to get out of a two-hour drive back to Langley with Jai.

"Tori, I know something is going on with you two, and I know that you don't want it to happen, but he at least deserves a conversation," she told me. I wasn't shocked that she knew something was up. "And he has been less evil since you've been here. He at least stopped going after Arthur's job."

"No he didn't. He just wants you to think that," I said, still not giving up on this argument.

"Yes he has. And besides, even if I would let you drive with them, Quinn and Josh pulled out about three seconds ago," she stated, pointing to the van that was getting smaller by the second. I groaned, and just accepted that I would have to act like an adult and sit in a car—alone—with a man that I couldn't let myself have.

I walked to Jai's black Mercedes, and opened the door, ducking in. He was already in the driver's seat, waiting for me. As soon as I closed the door, he turned over the engine, and he began pulling out when I clicked my seatbelt in place. We sat in silence, letting the purr of the engine surround us.

Finally about ten minutes into our drive he spoke. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, a little shaky, but I'll be alright. I just wish I knew what they wanted. I had the chance, but I acted instead. I was about to get the info," I buried my head in my hands.

"You did the right thing, Tori. He had a knife, and he was probably trying to distract you to do the same thing. You probably saved your own life," Jai explained.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," I told him.

"You're just like Annie, you know that?" he asked.

"Well seeing as she basically raised me, that doesn't surprise me,"

"Well, it's not a bad thing. Annie is a great woman, and so are you," he concluded innocently—or so he thought.

"Jai," I warned.

He heaved a sigh. "At least give me a chance. I know I'm older, and your superior, and your teacher, but please. Let me at least try to prove to you that I-"

"That what? That you just want to sleep with me? That's not going to happen anytime soon. That you like me? Yeah, a lot of people do. That you _love_ me even? I'm sorry, but I'm not ready for that yet," I threw back harshly.

"I was just going to say worthy…" he trailed off dejectedly.

"Jai," I sighed. "I'm sorry. You _are _worthy—in every way—but I'm not. I'm just broken, and afraid of what people may say about me. I… I'm just not good enough for you," I told him.

"I'm the one who wants you, Tori, so obviously you're worthy," he told me gently.

"That's just it. You're not in this alone," I said. "I want this too, but I can't have it—I… I… I can't let myself have it, I can't let myself love you," I stuttered out.

"Why?" he asked. He had pulled over by now, and he was facing me completely.

"Because I can't love myself," I sobbed.

He pulled me to himself and let me ruin his shirt with my tears. He really was good at listening to me sometimes. I sobbed myself out, and he soothed me, telling me that it was okay. My sobs had turned into sniffles, and sniffles had turned into silent tears, and the tears finally stopped altogether. I pulled myself out of his arms, and wiped up my wet face. I knew that it was still swollen and red from the crying, but I didn't care. I looked into his eyes miserably, and then kissed him one more time. It was great, free of surprise, but I didn't enjoy it.

"I just can't Jai," I explained. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," he sighed. "Look. Arthur offered me a job in Phoenix. I don't want my presence to hurt you. Maybe I should go," he told me.

"Maybe you should," I responded, emptily, letting my eyes glaze over, as I stared out at the passing cars. He sighed. This was hard for him too.

"I'm going to take it. I'll tell him as soon as we get back," he decided. "You do know that if you need me, I'm only just a phone call away. I still want to be there for you," he conveyed.

I just nodded, staring out at the scenery that had started changing without me noticing it. In about ten minutes, we arrived back to base, and I got in my car and drove home, tears streaming from my eyes as fast as I was driving.

* * *

><p><em>Alright everyone, so here is what I would like for you to tell me. <em>

_What should happen to Jai?_

_Should he..._

_A.) Go to Phoenix_

_B.) Not go, after Tori stops him._

_C.) Not go because he can't make himself_

_D.) Other (Tell me what you want to see happen)_

_Please tell me in a PM or review. I want your opinion on this, bacause I like all three outcomes, and I have possible plot snippets for each of the ones I specified, and I can spin a plot really fast, so don't be afraid to tell me if you think something else should happen. I'm open to many things. So, on that note, Please review! (Or PM me, whatever you prefer.)_


	6. Lesson 5: Panic Attacks May Result in

Hello everyone. So I know that it has been a long time since I updated, but I hinestly had to rethink my whole plotline to fit in a few choice things that happened in the TV show. Some of the major events may or may not occor in my story. Also, note that you may want to go back and read chapter five (chapter four after prologue) because I changed the chapter. ** NOTE: THAT THIS IS A TOTALLY NEW CHAPTER FROM THE PREVIOUS CHAPTE FIVE, SO EVEN THOUGH IT STARTS THE SAME IT IS DIFFERENT, AND IT HAS A PRETTY MAJOR AFFECT ON THE PLOTLINE/ YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND THE NEXT CHAPTERS IF YOU DON'T READ THIS ONE.**

That being said, thank you for sticking to my story thus far.

As always, if you review, or PM me about the chapter, or email me at my email address listed on my profile, you will receive a preview of the next chapter. If you are an anonynous reviewer, please leave your email address in the review, or email me about your review so that I can email you your preview.

~BroadwayGlory~

Lesson 5: Panic Attacks May Result in Hugs

**Tori's POV**

Did anyone ever tell you that heartbreak was a bitch? Well if not, I just did. Why did I have to be so stupid as to fall in love with my boss? I guess I was still young and stupid after all. I knew curling myself up in a ball and crying myself to sleep was most definitely not the way to get over this, but all I saw was Jai's face as he told me that he would leave.

Of course he was trying to do what was best for me, and his leaving wasn't definite, but it sure hurt just as bad. I made a pact to myself though—a pact that after tonight, I would never shed another tear for this man.

As the sun rose, I knew that it was time to compose myself, and pretend like I wasn't affected. I would help Jai pack, say my goodbyes, and pray that our paths would either cross long term or not at all for the rest of my life.

I took a shower, and erased the traces of tears and the circles under my eyes with makeup and dressed myself. I shared a silent breakfast with Annie, and then hopped in my car to take off to work.

On the long drive, I debated whether I should avoid Jai, or face him. I decided I would just go with the flow, and act like an adult, not a kid. To start off my bad day, it was nearly impossible to find a parking spot. A flashy white escalade had taken my normal spot, so I drove my little blue Prius around for ten minutes trying to find a spot. I then tried the front row, not really hopeful that one of the spots that wasn't reserved was empty. Much to my dismay, the only parking space was the one at the end of the row. Next to Jai's.

To continue with my bad day, I nearly got hit trying to walk across the street to get into the building. The person behind the wheel looked suspiciously like Auggie, but my best guess was that that was just a coincidence. Next, I ran into the security barricade without thinking to use my pass card. I had heard that Annie once did that, but I guess when I was laughing at that with Auggie, I wasn't thinking about how much that would actually hurt.

I continued into the DPD without more incidents, and began to feel that this day would be even more uneventful than I had suspected. I was wrong. "I need Auggie, Tori, Annie and Jai—someone call Jai to my office," Joan announced from her perch on the second level of our department. I sighed, and peeled myself out of my chair, heading towards Joan's office. I hoped it wasn't another case. After all, I had been on two cases in the last two weeks. Annie had told me that things didn't usually get that eventful.

I headed up the staircase and into the conference room and took my seat next to Annie. "What's going on?" I asked Annie.

"No idea," Annie admitted.

"Can they even send me on another case?" I asked.

"Yes, because your last one was unplanned, and it's been a week since Buenos Arias," Annie clarified. I sat back in my seat and let out a sigh, and stared into space to pass the time. I lost track of how long it was before I heard a light knock at the door, and was brought out of my sleep-like revere. I turned my head to glance at Jai. He didn't look too good either, the dark circles under his eyes made it evident that he had gotten about as much sleep as I had.

I was quickly taken from my thoughts when Joan rose from her chair. She clicked the remote and pulled up a face that was all too familiar. It was the face that belonged to him. Short dark hair that made a curly mess on top of his head, those bright blue eyes that used to send shivers down my spine for a different reason, that bad-boy smirk that had seemed out of place for the first two years I had known him, they all added up to create the face that haunted my worst nightmares. My memory of him hadn't faded a bit.

"We've struck up a problem with this young man," Joan began. I could barely hear her over my racing heart. The instinct to protect myself was raging within me, but I fought it down.

_Slamming doors. That look… it was back. Him stalking closer to me, like a sly animal: ready to strike. Terror._

"There have been threatening phone calls and letters to different girls and women along the west coast. He is also wanted for assault charges. He attacked a man named Barry Markus, who was protecting his daughter, Grace, from him. He went too far when he threatened a Senator of Oklahoma with his life. This is now a matter of national security. I want Annie to run point. Jai and Tori will tag along. Auggie will run things from back here. Your orders are to bring him back here alive. His name is Samuel Herrington."

I must have let out a sound because every face turned to my blank, staring one. The terror inside of me became too intense. I couldn't fight the urge to flee anymore. I rose slowly and shakily from my chair, panting heavily. "Tori?" Annie addressed. I began to shake my head.

"Are you alright?" Joan asked.

"I'm sorry," I was barely able to whisper. Annie began to rise, but I was already off, sprinting down the halls. I didn't know where I was going, and I lost track of where I was.

_Menacing whispers. "Don't be afraid," he'd told me in a crazed voice as his hand—cold as ice—ran down my face. Shock and terror._

I turned into a door that I vaguely remembered and sprinted to the back where I crawled behind the desk that was conveniently placed in the corner. I slid back until there was no more room for me to go anywhere else. I pulled my legs up to my chest and rocked back and forth in the corner.

_His face hovering over mine. Fighting back, trying to shove him off of me, him pinning my arms above my head. Tears streaking down my cheeks that had turned ice cold. Terror._

I heard a noise that brought me back into the real world for a moment. The creak of hinges sounded from across the room. It was the same sound of the hinges creaking as he had let himself into my room.

"_There's nobody here to hear you scream," he had chuckled in my ear as he proceeded to violate me. Terror _

Footsteps sounded on the floor a few feet away, continuing to the desk. They were slow and even as they came towards me. The pace of the footsteps was gentle, and disarming. I calmed only slightly when I realized that the shoes were expensive and the person smelled familiar.

Long legs bent into a squat and I saw a dark-complexioned face and deep chocolate eyes peering back at me. It was Jai. I was still shaking, and—I soon realized—under his desk.

He didn't seem upset, or even confused. He simply crawled under the desk and sat next to me. I looked at him, but was soon brought back into another flashback.

_His face hovering over mine. Violation. Wrong. Terror. Tears. Darkness. Terror. Pain. Terror. Pure terror._

I was brought out of the flashback by gentle hands holding mine. I looked back at Jai and felt the terror ease a little. "I can't stop them, I can't stop the memories," I sobbed. "I just want them to go away," I whimpered, clutching at my scalp. He pulled my hands that were digging into my head back into his, and proceeded to pull me into his arms.

He didn't say anything for a long time. He just held me still, and waited for me to cry myself out. Finally the tears ran out, and I moved my face to look at his. His eyes were softer than I had ever seen them.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"For what?" he prompted. I thought I was a little tear well up in his eye, but quickly dismissed the thought. Jai wasn't the kind to cry.

"I didn't want you to see me like that," I admitted.

He chuckled a little. "Tori, we're under _my_ desk," he explained.

"In my defense I didn't realize that at the time," I added. His face turned serious and almost grim.

"That's him isn't it?" he asked. I nodded. "I swear to you, Tori, when we find him, I will put him away somewhere where you will never have to be afraid of him again," he promised me.

"I know," I told him.

"Come on, let's get you back," he offered.

"Can we stay here for a few more minutes?" I asked, settling back into his chest.

"Of course," he told me, lightly kissing me on the head and wrapping his arms back around me.

After I had composed myself enough, and the flashbacks had stayed at bay long enough for my satisfaction, I rose from under the desk and thanked god that I had decided to wear waterproof makeup today. Jai was quick to step up after me, and take my hand into his big and strong one.

We continued down the hall and I held my head high all the way back to the DPD. I strode back into the conference room and took my seat next to Annie, who looked anxious and worried. As I sat, Annie pulled me into a hug. "I was worried about you," Annie whispered.

"I'm sorry," I told her and everyone else in the room.

"What was wrong Tori?" asked Joan.

"He… Sam…" I cleared my throat. "He was the one who raped me," I half sobbed. I looked down at my knees fighting back the tears.

Joan knelt down next to me. "Tori, why don't you go and wait for me in my office?" Joan suggested. I nodded, and slouched to her office. When I was inside, I plopped myself down in one of the rigid chairs on my side of her desk.

I looked back into the conference room, through the glass walls, and saw the group deeply in a discussion. I saw Joan speak, asking a question I presumed. And then Annie answered, shooting down her idea, it looked like. Quickly after, Jai gave her his two cents, disagreeing with Annie, by the look on her face. All three heads turned towards Auggie, and he pointed blindly in my direction, suggesting that I choose, I guessed.

Joan nodded tersely, and clicked towards her office, and subsequently, me. The glass doors slid open and Joan quickly took her position behind her desk. She sat, and looked at me for what seemed to be the longest time. I could only guess that she was trying to read me. Finally she spoke. "We can't decide on how to act on this one, so we are going to let you choose. You don't have to take this case if you are even a little uncomfortable. However, we all agree that you should choose. You are a grown woman after all."

I thought about this for a moment. Joan was giving me a get out of jail free card. I didn't have to go back and see him. I could go and be confident that Jai and Annie would handle this for me, and I would never, ever have to worry about Sam ever again.

Then I got to thinking of the opposite. I thought of how helpful I would be on this case. I knew both sides of him: good and crazy. I knew his moods, and patterns and his danger level. I also knew how to tell when he was in one of his states, or when he would be normal, and reasonable. I also knew that I would be the perfect bait for both sides of him. I couldn't say no to this case; especially because I could make it or break it. I just didn't have it in me to sit back and let someone else take care of my problem, because it was so unlike me.

"I want to go," I stated, confident that I would not change my mind.

"Are you sure?" Joan inquired.

"Positive," I clarified.

"Alright. I guess now you have to decide whether or not you want to press charges against him," she explained.

I thought of this also. Making him register as a sex offender would ruin his chances of living a decent life ever. It would give him jail time, and no girl in her right mind would ever go near him. I would be keeping many a girl like me safe from him if I pressed charges. However with the threats and the assault charges, not to mention the senator debacle, he was facing years in prison already. It would make him squirm for the rest of his life, if I didn't press charges. He would always wonder why, and that was more revenge than the first option. It was a hard decision.

"Well, it's been four months, would these still be enough … uh… evidence on me?" I asked.

"Tori, he's looking pretty bad already. If we brought him up on domestic violence and rape, I don't think he would win that one," Joan prompted.

"What do you think I should do?" I asked her timidly. She smiled a little smile and moved towards me. She crouched down next to me, and took my hands in hers.

"Tori," she began. "I don't know if you know it or not, but these last few months I have spent with you, you have been the daughter to me that I never had. I want you to know that I stand behind your decision on this one-hundred percent. But, I really think that you should press charges. He deserves to rot in jail for what he did to you."

"Couldn't he plea mental incompetence?" I asked.

"Even so, he would be institutionalized, and would still have to register as a sex offender," Joan explained bluntly. "It's your choice Tori."

"I want to press charges," I decided.

"I'll add it to the list. Now, you and Annie and Jai have permission to leave early. I want you to be back here at nine tomorrow. You will be briefed, and then head to Seattle. Pack for a few weeks, we don't know how long this will take." I thanked her and quickly exited the room. Annie, Jai and Auggie were waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs.

"I don't think you should drive home, Tori," Annie stated.

"I'll drive you home," Jai offered.

"Now wait just a moment, I thought I was driving her home," Auggie punned. I chuckled, and shook my head, though he couldn't see me do it.

"Thanks for that offer, Auggie, but I think I will take Jai up on his offer," I told them. They all nodded.

"Let's get going then," Jai said.

As I was leaving the DPD, Annie gave me a look that clearly said one thing. _Have fun, but not too much fun._ I shook my head and followed Jai out the glass doors. We approached his car, and he unlocked it. I was about to get in, when he stopped me. He was blocking the door with his hand.

"I don't think I should leave after this. I want you to be able to come to me when you have a problem like this," he explained.

"Let's talk about it later," I sighed

"Okay," he sighed.

"Let's go back you your place," I suggested. His face grew slack, and his facial expression clearly said _what the hell?_

"I want to talk to you without prying eyes," I explained. "And ears," I added. He chuckled and nodded, returning to the driver's side.

"You've got it," he agreed, revving the engine, before rolling out of Langley.

After a twenty-five minute drive, Jai pulled up to a stone gate that was at least ten feet tall. He pulled up to a post that had a key pad on it. He entered a series of numbers and the iron doors on the gate slowly swung open.

He proceeded down a driveway that was obscenely long. It took another five minutes to drive down all of its twists and turns. Finally I saw a corner of a three story building. I soon began to realize that Jai's house was enormous. I couldn't possibly imagine living in a place like this alone.

"Here we are," he sighed. "Home sweet home." I didn't respond. I was too busy gaping at the house that I had to guess was at least five thousand square feet. I knew that Jai was loaded, but I had no idea that he had this much money to throw around. "Tori," Jai chuckled, waiting for me to respond.

"I'm sorry," I said, shaking my thoughts out of my head.

"It's fine," he mumbled, unlocking the front door, and letting me in before him. The inside was even more unexpected than the outside. It was warm and homey, and smelled distinctly male, like Jai's cologne.

"You live here all by yourself?" I asked.

"Just me. Well, except the driver the cook and the butler who live in the guest house. My dad lived with me before he went to jail," he said.

"Wow," I gasped.

"I'm hoping to add a wife and a few kids in five or ten years," he said, his eyes darting to me when he said wife.

"Maybe in a few years," I brushed his obvious statement.

"Right," he said.

"So, uh… where to?" I asked.

"Uh we can go to the lounge, or we could go to my room," he said stumbling over his words a bit.

"The lounge would be fine," I assured him.

"Alright," he said, leading me through all the twists and turns that were the Wilcox Mansion. We came to a room, blocked off by two glass doors. Jai opened them, and led me in. I sat down on a comfortable looking sofa, and he sat next to me. We sat in silence for a long time, until he spoke. "How are you?"

"I'm not going to lie and tell you that I'm okay," I said.

"I didn't expect you to," he said, placing a firm hand upon my shoulder. I placed mine on top of his. "Tell me the truth," he prompted.

"I'm scared out of my mind. I'm about to go on assignment to find _him_, and I'm still scared to death of him," I explained.

"Tori, you don't have to go. Joan and Annie and I would all understand if you didn't go," he said.

"I know, but I need to go," I began. "I don't think I'll ever be able to get over it enough to move on until I confront him about it. I need that closure. Then maybe I could move on with you."

"You don't have to do this for me," he promised.

"I'm doing it for me," I whispered. As I studied his face, I could see all the emotion that passed over his face. Concern, hope, fear, and… _love?_ I had never even considered the fact that Jai was maybe as in love with me as I was with him. I still pictured that cold, and calculating person he had been to me when I first met him. I hadn't noticed the warmth that had crept into him as I knew him, because it had happened so gradually. I didn't dare think that our friendship had done that to him.

The soft flutter in my stomach was hard to ignore, as we sat there, just staring at each other. "I don't want to go to Phoenix," Jai finally whispered.

"I don't want you to go," I replied, and then I kissed him. His warm lips moved softly with mine. First it was soft and gentle, but the fire within us grew, and soon the kiss seemed to be scorching my lips, only it was a good kind of burn. I felt his hands move to cup my face, and I buried my hands in the hair that I had been longing to touch for weeks now. Our breathing became ragged, and our grips tighter.

He pushed on my shoulders a bit, and I complied, by sliding down onto my back. There we continued to kiss passionately. Our lips now moved quickly together, but it wasn't enough. I needed to be closer. I broke our kiss to pull his shirt over his head, and threw it on the floor, as his lips crashed back to mine. He began unbuttoning my blouse when I became cold, and frozen. I broke our kiss and sat up.

"I'm sorry," I panted, buttoning up my shirt. I quickly got up, and weaved my way down the elegant hallways.

"Tori," Jai called to me. I continued down the hall until I hit a dead end, right in front of double doors, with an elegant J. carved in the wood. It was his room. "You're going the wrong way…" he trailed off, slowing his jog to me as he saw where I was.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here," I said, quickly walking off the other direction. He caught my arm.

"Tori," he began. "You don't have to be sorry. I understand."

"I don't want you to understand," I whispered.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because, I want to be able to do this with you. I want to be able to be with you without having these horrible flashbacks, or these urges to push you off of me. Do you see now why I need to go? Do you see that I can't be with you until I do, and I want to be with you so much," I sobbed.

"Tori, Tori, don't cry about it. It's not worth it. How about I have my driver take you home, and I'll see you tomorrow, alright?" He asked. I nodded. "Okay," he said. He led me to the front door where his driver was waiting. I began to walk out of the house and towards the black car when I had to do something.

"Wait," I said, turning back around to face Jai who was watching me go. I jogged back to him, and kissed him firmly on the lips before I left. "I had to do that," I chuckled, biting my lip.

"No complaints here," Jai snickered.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I told him.

"It's a date," I thought I heard him reply from behind me before I took my seat in the back of the car.

That night I slept a lot easier, knowing things were better between us. All I could feel was the warmth that still lingered on my lips, as I let myself dream of a life with him. I could see our child—a little girl in a light pink dress—running around the huge back yard. I saw her father pluck her up off of the ground and whirl her around in his arms. I could see the huge smile on both of their faces. The little girl looked just like her dad, but you could see that she had my eyes. She was absolutely beautiful, and my heart swelled with joy. This could be my future if I let it be.

Not once did Sam pass my line of thoughts that night, and for the first time in the four months since that unspeakable thing had happened, I dreamed only of my happy place.


End file.
